Copying machine

ABSTRACT

A copying machine having a power switch, an operating switch, a relay with a contact acting as a holding switch in parallel with the power switch, and a timer. The relay is actuated in response to the closing of the operating switch following the actuation of the power switch, so as to hold the power switch. The timer is actuated upon opening of the power switch, so as to de-energize the relay only after a certain predetermined time delay. Whereby, copying operation of an original being copied is completed even if the power switch is opened by mistake in the midst of the copying operation.

United States Patent 1 Nakamura et al.

[ COPYING MACHINE [75] lnventorsz Kitamaro Nakamura, Toyohashi;Yasuhiko' Doi, Toyokawa both of Japan [73] Assignee: MinoltaCameraKabushiki Kaisha,

Osaka, Japan 22 Filed: Aug. 20, 1971 211 Appl.No.: 173,619

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser No, 865,837, Oct.13, 1969,

abandoned.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data 1 June 5,1973

[56] 7 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,512,048 5/1970Wallentowitz et al .;...3l7/14l S Primary ExaminerL. T. HixAtt0rneyStanley Wolder [57] ABSTRACT A copying machine having a powerswitch, an operating switch, a relay with a contact acting as a holdingswitch in parallel with the power switch, and a timer. The relay isactuated in response to the closing of the operating switch followingthe actuation of the power switch, so as to hold the power switch. Thetimer is actuated upon opening of the power switch, so as to deenergizethe relay only after a certain predetermined time delay. whereby,copying operation of an original being copied is completed even'if thepower switch is opened by mistake in the midst of the copying operation.

, 6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures COPYING MACHINE cuitry, said circuitry isso constructed that said holding switch in parallel with the powerswitch is closed only upon actuation of said operating switch followingthe closing of said power switch, while said timer is actuated uponopening of said power switch so as to open said holding switch inparallel with the power switch after a certain predetermined delay time.

An object of the present invention is to provide a copying machine whichensure the completion of each copying operation even if the power switchis opened by mistake in the midst of the copying operation of anoriginal, whereby the danger of troublesome stacking of the copy paperin the copying machine at the time of false opening of the power switchis completely eliminated. If a sheet of copy paper remains in thecopying machine after a copy operation. such sheets causes troubles inthe next following copying operation.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the present invention may behad by referring to the following description, taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a basic circuit diagram of an embodiment of the presentinvention; and

HG. 2 is a circuit diagram of essential portions of an electriccircuitry in an embodiment of the copying machine according to thepresent invention.

Generally speaking, a known electronic copying machine comprises a copypaper feeding means, a main driving means feeding said copy paper to apredetermined image receiving section while charging said copy paper soas to impart to it photosensitivity, a means exposing the photosensitivecopy paper to the image of an original to be copied, a developing meansdeveloping the copy paper thus exposed, and a means drying and fixingthe copy paper thus developed.

Referring to the circuit diagram of FIG. 1, illustrating the fundamentalconstruction of a copying machine according to the present invention,the reference numeral 1 represents an electric power source, 2 a powerswitch, 3 a holding switch which is a normally open contact of a relay 4and is in parallel with the power switch 2, 5 a timer, 6 an operating orcopy cycling switch, and 7 a load. The timer 5 is connected to the powersource 1 through a timer switch 8, which is gangoperated with the powerswitch 2. The relay 4 is actuatable by the power source 1 through arelay switch 9 being actuatable by the timer 5.

The load 7 generally consists of various mechanical and electrical partsof the copying machine, such as a copy paper feeder of the copyingmachine, a motor for driving a fan, a heater for drying a developedcopypaper, a magnetic clutch between the feeder and its drivingmechanism, a light source for scanning a original and exposing the copypaper to the image of the original, etc. in the circuit of FIG. 1, it ispossible to classify the aforesaid loads or parts of the copying machineinto a first group consisting of those parts which should becontinuously operated and a second group which can beintermittentlyoperated in each copying operation of an original, so as to connect thesecond group of parts in parallel with the series circuit consisting ofthe relay 4 and the relay switch 9.

In operation, the power switch 2 is manually closed to open, bygang-operation, the time switch 8 in series with the timer 5. At thesame time, the load 7 is started, to make the copying machine ready forcopying. After inserting an original, which is to be copied, into aninput end of the copying machine, an operator manually close theoperating switch 6. At this moment, the relay 4 is energized to closethe holding switch 3. With the operating switch 6 thus closed, theremaining parts, e.g., the intermittently operable parts, of the copyingmachine are actuated, so as to start the copying operation.

If the power switch 2 is opened during the copying operation by mistake,the holding switch 3 remains as closed thanks to the action of the relay4, while the timer switch 8 is closed by the gang-operation with thepower switch 2, so as to actuate the timer 5. After a certainpredetermined delay time, the timer 5 opens its contact or the relayswitch 9 to de-energize the relay 4. Thereby, the relay contact or theholding switch 3 opens. As a result of it, the power supply to theentire copying machine is interrupted, and the copying machine comes tostop.

By setting the delay time of the. timer 5 equivalent to the timenecessary for completing a copying of an original, the copying operationof each original being copied is carried out to its completion even ifthe power switch 2 is opened by mistake in the midst of the copyingoperation. Thereby, waste of the copy paper can be prevented, and thedanger of plugging of the copying machine due to the copy paper lefttherein by the preceding copying operation can be eliminated.Furthermore, overlapping of the copy paper due to the remaining copypaper of the preceding copying operation can also be prevented.

According to the present invention, the operating switch 6 need not be amanual switch, but it can be an automatic switch, which for instance,can be closed automatically in response to the insertion of an originalinto the copying machine.

FIG. 2 shows the electric circuitry of an embodiment of the copyingmachine of the present invention, in which parts corresponding to thoseof the circuit of FIG. 1 are represented by like numerals. In thisexample, a relay consists of latching relay 4 and an unlatching relay4', while a timer 5 consists of a capacitor 10, resistors 11, andtransistors 12. The delay time of the timer 5 is determined by thetransient phenomena of the capacitor 10 in the charging thereof. inorder to charge the capacitor 10 by a direct current voltage, atransformer 13 and a rectifier 14 are provided in the copying machine.

An operating switch 6 of this embodiment is automatic reset type, or theoperating switch 6 automati cally opens upon removal of manual closingforce therefrom, and thus the latch relays 4 and the unlatching relay 4'provide a holding circuit (not shown) to the operating switch 6. Theholding circuit of the operating switch 6 is apparent to those skilledin the art, andit is not shown here.

One of the resistors 11 of the timer 5 is variable, so that the delaytime of the timer 5 can be adjusted by controlling the variableresistance of that resistor 11.

In operation of the embodiment, upon closing of a power switch 2, arelay 15 is actuated to close its contacts 16 for completing the powersupply circuit to a load 7. At the same time, a switch contact 8 of thetimer 5 is turned, by gang-operation from a stationary contact b to astationary contact a, so as to discharge the residual electric charge inthe capacitor 10. Then, upon manual actuation of the operating switch 6,the latching relay 4 is energized to close a holding switch 3, inparallel with the power switch 2.

When the power switch 2 is opened by mistake in the midst of copyingoperation, the timer switch 8 is gangoperated to turn its swingablecontact from the stationary contact a to the stationary contact b. Thus,the charging of the capacitor'l0 starts. When the voltage at ajunction Pbetween the capacitor 10 and the resistor 11 is reached to a certainpredetermined value, the

. transistors 12 become conductive to energize the unlatching relay 4for opening the holding switch 3. Thus, the entire copying machine comesto stop. It is apparent that the actuation of the latching relay 4 andthe actuation of the unlatching relay 4 represent the completion andinterruption of the series circuit consisting of the relay 4 and therelay switch 9 of the circuit of FIG. 1, respectively.

As described in the foregoing, according to the present invention, withthe copying machine of the aforesaid construction, the operation of thecopying machine is not interrupted at the instant of the opening of thepower switch 2, but it continues its normal operation until the copyingoperation of an original being copied is completed. Thus, waste of copypaper and detrimental effects to the succeeding copying operation can beprevented.

Furthermore, if the power switch 2 is once closed and then openedwithout actuating the operating switch 6, the copying machineonce startsand then stops, because the holding switch 3 remains as open. In otherwords, if the operator once closes the power switch 2 with an intentionof making a copy and then he changes his mind or finds that the copy isnot needed any more, he can immediately stop the copying machine byopening the power switch 2. Therefore, useless power consumption at thecopying machine can be prevented under such conditions.

Although the present invention has been described with a certain degreeof particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has beenmade only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details ofconstruction and the combination and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A circuit for controlling a current supply for loads of a copyingmachine comprising a main power switch, an operating switch separatefrom said main power switch and controlling cycling of the copyingmachine, a latching relay 4 having a relay contact acting as a holdingswitch in parallel with said main power switch, said latching relaybeing energized upon closing said operating switch to close said holdingswitch to continuously supply said loads with electric current even ifthe main power switch is accidently opened during copying operation, atimer starting with the opening of the main power switch and means 4coupled to said relay contact for retaining said holding switch inclosed condition after opening said operating switch, said means beingresponsive to said timer to open said holding switch after the lapse oftime substantially as necessitated for one cycle operation of thecopying machine from the opening of said main power switch. I

2. A circuit according to claim 1 in which said means for energizing andde-energizing the timer is a switch contact connected in seriestherewith and actuated by the main power switch.

3. A circuit according to claim 1 in which the duration of the delaytime of the timer is adjustable.

4. in a copying machine including an electrically energized copyingmachine device 7, a control network comprising first means forconnecting said device 7 to a current source 1 including a first switch2 connected to energize said device 7 upon the closing of said firstswitch, a second normally open switch 3 connected in parallel withsaidfirst switch 2, a timer 5, a second means 8 responsive to theopening of said first switch for actuating said timer, a cycling switch6, means including a first solenoid 4 responsive to the closed conditionof said cycling switch 6, and means including a second solenoid 4'responsive to said timer 5 for opening said second switch after thetiming intervalof said timer.

5. The control network of claim 4 wherein said timer comprises anelectronic timing network including an RC timing circuit and said secondmeans comprises a third switch 8 coupled to and-simultaneously operablewith said first switch 2 to close said third switch 8 with the openingof said first switch 2, said timing network

1. A circuit for controlling a current supply for loads of a copyingmachine comprising a main power switch, an operating switch separatefrom said main power switch and controlling cycling of the copyingmachine, a latching relay 4 having a relay contact acting as a holdingswitch in parallel with said main power switch, said latching relaybeing energized upon closing said operating switch to close said holdingswitch to continuously supply said loads with electric current even ifthe main power switch is accidently opened during copying operation, atimer starting with the opening of the main power switch and means 4''coupled to said relay contact for retaining said holding switch inclosed condition after opening said operating switch, said means beingresponsive to said timer to open said holding switch after the lapse oftime substantially as necessitated for one cycle operation of thecopying machine from the opening of said main power switch.
 2. A circuitaccording to claim 1 in which said means for energizing andde-energizing the timer is a switch contact connected in seriestherewith and actuated by the main power switch.
 3. A circuit accordingto claim 1 in which the duration of the delay time of the timer isadjustable.
 4. In a copying machine including an electrically energizedcopying machine device 7, a control network comprising first means forcOnnecting said device 7 to a current source 1 including a first switch2 connected to energize said device 7 upon the closing of said firstswitch, a second normally open switch 3 connected in parallel with saidfirst switch 2, a timer 5, a second means 8 responsive to the opening ofsaid first switch for actuating said timer, a cycling switch 6, meansincluding a first solenoid 4 responsive to the closed condition of saidcycling switch 6, and means including a second solenoid 4'' responsiveto said timer 5 for opening said second switch after the timing intervalof said timer.
 5. The control network of claim 4 wherein said timercomprises an electronic timing network including an RC timing circuitand said second means comprises a third switch 8 coupled to andsimultaneously operable with said first switch 2 to close said thirdswitch 8 with the opening of said first switch 2, said timing networkbeing connected through said third switch to a current source.
 6. Thecontrol network of claim 4 including means 11 for adjusting said timinginterval.